Warning: the contents of this story may be upsetting for some readers.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique says the behaviour of a suspended officer in Leeds County is unacceptable for any officer.
The officer, Jason Redmond, has been convicted of sexual assault. The conviction stems from a 2017 incident where he recorded video of himself having sex with an unconscious woman.
“I know this is troubling for not only members of the public, but for our own members who always seek to serve the people of Ontario with pride, professionalism and honour,” Carrique says.
Redmond has been suspended from the OPP since 2015, after being charged for being involved in a drug trafficking scheme. He was convicted of those charges in 2018.
“The OPP has been seeking dismissal of this individual since his initial conviction,” Carrique adds. “This behaviour is unacceptable for any police officer and cannot be tolerated.”
According to a statement from the OPP, Redmond has been suspended with pay since the trafficking charges were laid. Under provincial law, for an officer to be suspended without pay, they need to be convicted and sentenced to jail or prison time. Redmond’s 2018 conviction came with a one-year probation sentence.
A judge ordered his dismissal from the OPP, but Redmond appealed the decision, meaning he continues to collect his salary while waiting for the appeal hearing in June.
Police say the sexual assault charges were laid in October 2021, after an internal investigation that began in August. To protect the victim’s identity, no press release was issued, and a publication ban was granted a few days after Redmond’s arrest.
His sentencing for the sexual assault conviction is scheduled for April 14th.